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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1977-09-15 MinutesCITY OF MIAMI SPECIAL COM ISSION MINUTES SEPTEMBER 15, 1977 (Special session at the Workshop OF MEETING HELD ON Session �e Police & Fire lay-offs) PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK CITY HALL RALPH G. ONGIE CITY CLERK SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 30, 1977 IIdO( Cttnrfllsgiaifar"FORtn4 ITEM NO. gOLUTION No. I PAGE NO, 1. 2. 3. 4. DISCUSSION OF LAY-OFFS IN POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND MOTION TO TABLE. DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED ACTIVITIES IN NEW WORLD CENTER -BICENTENNIAL PARK. DISCUSSION OF GARBAGE COLLECTION ACTIVITIES. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHARITY SOFTBALL GAME TO BE HELD OCTOBER 8, 1977 TO BE HELD AT MIAMI BASEBALL STADIUM. CLOSURE OF CERTAIN STREETS IN COCONUT GROVE FOR BICYCLE RACE. MOTION TO TABLE M-77-731 M-77-732 DISCUSSION M-77-733 1-4 4 5-7 7 7 i MTNUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING C7TV COMMISSION OF MTAMI, FLORTIIA On the 15th day os September, 1977, ,the City Comm.is4Lon o M.i.a►nL, F: o.ti da met at .its tegutat meeting ptaee in .the City Hatt, 3500 Pan APnehi.can D/.ive, Miami, F.Zot.i.da .in Spee.ia.Z Session. The meeting was carted to otdet at 2 : 10 O' CZocfz P.M. by Mayon Maun.iee A. Fence with the 6ottow.i,ng members o i .the Commission pnes ent: CommLss.ionet Rose Gondon Comm.iss.ionet ManoZo Reboso Comm.issionet J. L. PPummen, Jt. V4.ee Mayor (Rev.) Theodore R. Gibson Mayor Mautice A. Fetre ALSO PRESENT Joseph R. Grassie, City Manager George F. Knox, City Attorney Ralph G. Ong.ie, City C.Lenlz Marty H.ita.i, Assistant City C!enft DISCUSSION OF LAY-OFFS IN POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND MD ION TO TABLE, Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, I make a motion at this time, the policy sion be that there will be no layoffs in the Police and Fire. of this commis - Mayor Ferre: Is there a second to the motion? Mr. Reboso: Mr. Mayor, I think at this time I am going to second the motion be- cause those two departments are the public safety departments of the city and even though we don't want to see any layoffs at all in the city those two are the most important ones. Mayor Ferre: There is a motion and a second, now on discussion. Rev. Gibson: Mr. Mayor, I want to challenge the members of this commission to be moral and do right and fair. No way in the hell I could get another vote on Satur- day when you all meet. If all of the people were down there crying all of us would be under the pressure. And God knows I don't want any of the services of this city cut off - any of them reduced - and I beg this commission, I beg this commission because if you do that I will then have some real questions in my mind. I'll be fighting alone at that point. I'm no fool, man. Mayor Ferre: Well ladies and gentlemen of this commission, I would like to recom- mend to this commission that we not make any decisions at this point. I recognize the thrust of Mr. Plummer's point. I philosophically am inclined to agree with Father Gibson that if there is to be a burden it has to be shared equally. I feel that before we go through the whole process we should not preclude the various alternatives that are possible for us to solve this problem. I would vote against this motion not because I disagree at this juncture but rather (with the motion) but rather because I think we should go through the whole process and look at all the different alternatives including what we talked about in garbage and so en before we come to any definite conclusions. Now Mr. Plummer requested the Manager to give us, he asked four questions and I think the Manager has the answers. I hope you do and I think it might be appropriate foryou to pass that out or don't you want to do it until the next session? Mr. Grassie: As I said this morning, that's entirely up to you, Mr. Mayor, we can do it right now if you wish. Mayor Ferre: I think it would be appropriate for you to pass that out before we vote on this motion. Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, let me in defense, not defense but its supplemental of my motion, Mr. Mayor, the figure for your edification if no layoffs in police and fire 1 =IC SEP 151977 Ate to occut coda represent a million and A half dollars. That's the figure that I was looking for. If, in fact, Mr. Mayor/there are to be no layoffs in Police and fire it is, in fact, going to alter budgets of other departments. If that be the case not only am I very strong in my position of no layoffs in Police and Fire but in fact fc us to intelligently discuss the rest of the budget I think we should know the affect that that is going to have on these other budgets so that we can discuss it a week from Saturday. Mayor Ferre: That's precisely my point. That's why I don't see how in the world we can make an arbitrary decision at this juncture not to reduce Fire and Police before we have the full spectrum of what we're involved in. Now I happen to agree with the premise but I think we have to look at everything. I mean we have to look at the fact that we're going to increase taxes. We've got to look at the question of these garbage fees. Mr. Plummer: That is another motion, Mr. Mayor. This is not speaking to where those other cuts shall occur. Mayor Ferre: Yes, but obviously the moment you fix this, you see the moment you tell the Manager and you mandate him by the majority of this commission voting that there will be no reduction in the Fire and the Police Department when the Fire Chief himself told you that there are certain reductions and the Police Chief, that would be acceptable and would not reduce service and then for us to take a posture that we would go beyond that point is something which you have to take into account what else you're going to be affecting. Mr. Plummer: That's right. Mayor Ferre: And I think you've got to look at it before you make that decision. Mr. Plummer: And without that policy being established by this commission the Manager is not going to do it. Mr. Mayor, I'm merely in my mind by design trying to take out the element of operating government by crisis. I am giving the Man- ager ten days in which to realize that this is a reality so that he can start juggling where he has to juggle to present a balanced budget. Mayor Ferre: See, but I would, my vision of it, Mr. Plummer, is just the opposite. By doing what you're doing you are creating a crisis. Mr. Plummer: No. Mayor Ferre: Precisely, that's exactly what you're doing. I mean, of course, we have a difference of opinion. Mr. Plummer: Surely, it is healthy. Mayor Ferre: I would strongly recommend that we be very careful how we go about this until we look at everything. For us to make that decision today I think is creating a very very serious problem for the city. Mr. Grassie: I would have to echo that sentiment, Mr. Mayor. I think that, in fact, we tend to create crisises that way. If I can as an initial response to the questions asked by Commissioner Plummer and I think by other members of the City Commission the last time we met, we have just distributed to you a summary and really I've tried to put it all on one page so that we can talk about some of the major impacts. If you want to look at that first page, what we have done there is to show you that starting with the budget which has been distributed to you of $112,000,000 and discounting the $15,000,000 which is earmarked for the repayment of bonds you have the $97,000,000 budget left. Now with that as a starting point dedicated funds, and possibly this is the single most important point that we need to make today, dedicated funds which cannot be used for any purpose other than that for which we receive them account for over 30% of existing budget. We ex-. plain in the attached sheets what makes those moneys dedicated or non-transferr- able. In addition to that you have the existing as proposed Police and Fire Bud- gets plus Sanitation which accounts for another 50% of the city budget. Now that 30 and 50 is 80% of the city budget. The next column shows the amounts of money that will be required and we call it additional required for Police, Fire and San- itation layoffs, that column shows the moneys that we would need just for salar- ies and minimum expenses in order to bring back Police, Fire and Sanitation employ- ees. Now that assums that what's left in the budget is only 18% of the budget from which you're going to make all the cuts. If you went one additonal step, and Coawnissioner Plummer asked us to consider this if we had no tax increase, that would decrease our available funds from $17,700,000 to $16 „200,000 if we stayed 2 SEP 151977 MM at current millage. Now that means simply that everything has to be taken out of this very small portion of the budget. :.- Mayor Ferre: How much would the economic impact of Plummer's motion be/ Mt. Plummer: A million and a half. Mayor Ferre: So in efect what you're saying, Mr. Manager, is ... Mr. Grassie: A million and a half in terms of tax. Mayor Ferre: That assuming.that we go to the full tax increase that we're allowed to by law which would bring up the available funds to 17 million seven, the trillion and a half would have to come from that. Mr. Grassie: That's correct. Mr. Plummer: Also what I'm saying, Mr. Mayor, my motion is not saying that you made a proposal this morning about possibly going to curbside pickup and saving $3,000,000, that the money can't come from there. I'm not trying to say in my motion where those funds are coming from. I'm not trying to say that you might close the parks for 30 days, that's for the Manager to decide. That's why he's got a Budget Committee. He has all those people on staff. I'm just saying that whether I make the motion and it passes today or Saturday a week or at the final day of budget I am not voting for any cuts in Police and Fire. Mayor Ferre: I understand. Yo're entitled... Mr. Plummer: It's just that simple and I think by doing it today and instructing the Manager today I think I'll just offer it today. Mayor Ferre: I accepted you to make the motion cause you're entitled to do that but I'm also recommending that we not do it today and I think everybody knows where we stand. Now as far as I'm concerned I'm ready to vote. Anybody have any other questions? Mrs. Gordon: I want to express my point of view. I feel, J. L., that all things being considered we should know where we're getting it from. Philosophically I believe in keeping the Police and Fire on because they are life saving units and I'm for it. But I want to know where we're going to get it from. I want to know what we're going to get extra revenue from or what we're going to diminish. I'm ready to vote that kind of a concept when I have those other answers first. Mr. Plummer: That's all I am, is a concept. Mrs. Gordon: Yes, but I think it might be better to bring this up at the appro- priate time, I really believe that. Mr. Plummer: Ok. Mayor Ferre: All right, further discussion? Mr. Plummer: Obviously I'll be bringing it up again. Mrs. Gordon: Well, I would personally like to see this removed from the table rather than brought to a negative vote because I don't think anybody here wants this to be a negative vote. I would feel that that would be the better action. Mayor Ferre: Is that a motion to table? Mrs. Gordon: I'd like to see J. L., do it himself. Mr. Plummer: I'm not going to remove it, Rose. You know I'm going to offer it today and I'm going to offer it every time I have the oportunity. Mayor Ferre: What is the will of this commission? Is there a motion to table or are we going to vote on this? Rev. Gibson: Mr. Mayor, I move to table for a later date. Mrs. Gordon: The question on the table, was it on a time certain? Was that a Motion for Saturday or any other time? I question only for information. S E P 1 51977 Mayft Ferret or information, and please Mr. Knox, tell Me if I've ruled wrong. A motion to table means that it comes up akthe next time this matter comes up for discussion. Is that correct? • Mr. Knox: That's a motion to defer. A motion to table only comes up upon a trot' ion to remove it from the table. Mayor Ferre: Ok, so in other words what I'm saying is... Mrs. Gordon: It can't be tabled until a time certain? Mr. Knox: You can establish a time certain but at that point it can only be re- moved from the table persuant to a motion to remove it. You don't have to have a time certain. Mayor Ferre: In other words a motion to table once you table it the people who voted to table it can bring it up again any time they want. I would commit myself to bring it out and certainly vote for it at the appropriate time. Rev. Gibson: I would too. Mayor Ferre: When that is in my opinion is after we've gone through the whole budget process. Rev. Gibson: Right. The preceding motion to table, introduced by Commissioner Gibson and seconded by Commissioner Gordon passed by the following vote -AYES: Mrs. Gordon, Rev. Gibson and Mayor Ferre. NOES: Mr. Reboso and Mr. Plummer. 2. DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED ACTIVITIES IN PEW WORLD DER -BICENTENNIAL PARK. Mayor Ferre: Before we get into the 2:00 agenda, ladies and gentlemen, Rose you brought un the Question this mroninc about instructing thP-Manager to 1 ,ok for uses in Bicentennial New World Park and I would recommend that you make it a very broad type of a motion. Mrs. Gordon: I would move you that we instruct the Manager together with his appropriate department head to develop an activity program for the New World Cen- ter Park and that would cover broad enough for you to do whatever you think will bring people there. Rev. Gibson: I will second it, Mr. Mayor, providing nothing is done until we the commission know. Mayor Ferre: Oh, of course. This is just sending it to the Manager for him to think about it and bring back recommendations. Mrs. Gordon: To develop an idea. Rev. Gibson: I'm jittery that's why I"m saying I want to make sure there's an understanding that t'ain't going to be no tangoing until we know. All right. The following motion was introduced by Commissioner Gordon who moved its adoption. MOTION NO. 77-731 A MOTION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO MEET WITH APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS AND SUB- MIT PROPOSALS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF ADDITIONAL FACILITIES IN NEW WORLD CENTER -BICENTENNIAL PARK TO PROMOTE GREATER ACTIVITY IN SAME. Upon being seconded by Commissioner Gibson, the motion was passed and adopted by the following vote - AYES; NOOS; None, Commissioner Manolo Reboso Commissioner J. L. Plummer Commissioner Rose Gordon Vice -Mayor Theodore Gibson Mayor Maurice A. Ferre • • DISCUSSION OF GARBAGE COLLECTION AkTIVImmESI Mayor terre: I think we ought to pass a formal resoltttion that the Manager efte hack and give us an overview of the whole aarbaae question which was 41soti41110.. this morning so that he has that in the form of a formal motion. Mr. Plummer: You mean as it relates to curbside pickup? Mayor Ferre: To the whole spectrum of things. Mr. Plummer: You mean prior to the budget hearings? Mayor Ferre: Yes, of course, prior to the budget hearings because we're talking about 3 or $4,000,000 there. Mr. Plummer: Your motion simply speaks to him developing facts and figures. Mayor Ferre: All right I'll make the motion. Father, I'll pass the gavel to you and my motion reads as follows: That the Manager be instructed to review and come back to the commission with alternatives on the possibility of the way we budget and charge for garbage pickup. That is to include the possibilities of curbside pickup (1), (2) to take into account that we would pickup for disabled people or older senior citizens that are not able to carry the garbage because of a physical impairment or age to the curbside. That means containerization and the whole spectrum of what would be charged so that if somebody wanted garbage pickup at the back of his house that there would be a special charge for that so that there would be always a choice for somebody who is not disabled or not a senior citizen who would want back of the house garbage pickup. I so move. Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, I have to add... Well, see if there is a second. I have to ask a clarification point but I have to wait until there is a second to the motion. The only way I can ask my question is to second it and then I can still vote against it. So I'll second the motion. Mr. Mayor, is it the intent of your motion that this is a possibility of reducing taxes? Mayor Ferre: I don't know exactly where the money is going to go. Itwould be a way of increasing revenue. Now whether that would be allocated first on a prior- ity basis and not reduce Police and Fire services, for example, or it might be applied so that there would be no tax increase. That's something that we'll have to discuss. Mr. Plummer: You didn't answer me. Is there a possibility, the only way I can vote for it is if there is a possibility that in its passage if it were that it would reduce taxes. Mayor Ferre: Yes, there is a possibility for that. That is up to this commission to decide. Mrs. Gordon: It would be certainly, excuse me Mayor for interrupting you. But I would say yes that certainly if there is an overage beyond what is needed to pro- vide the people with the services that they are entitled to there could be a tax reduction, couldn't -there? Mr. Plummer: Rose, let me make my position clear. If we are exploring this poss- ibility for the purposes of reducing the present millage then I think.it is worth looking into. If it is merely going to possibly be instigated to be the moneys used for other purposes I am totally opposed to it. Now that's why I asked the question. Mrs. Gordon: May I speak on this motion, Mr. Mayor? Rev. Gibson: Sure. Mrs. Gordon: My feelings are, J. L., that all of us share the same concerns that you do with regard to the reduction in Police and Fire personnel. however, there is a scale you've got to weigh these things on and the people have to be faced with that choice. You know everybody wants to be protected and rightly so. But on the other hand unless we cut something entirely out of the services that the city provides to the people we don't have any funds to draw upon as I can see it in this budget to provide what you asked for a few minutes ago which we want to accomplish. NI'. Mlukdner: Rose, unfortunately the Mayo Motion did tot iholude aft alteifiat‘ iVe that was discussed this morning and that is reflaihing at baoksidei feibaihing at backyard pickup and a fee being... Mayor Ferre: Mr. Plummer: Mayor Ferre: Mr. Plummer: figures. If, for it. I included that. I didn't hear that. Yes, I did. As a matter of fact t mentioned the figure of $30. All I'm saying, I'm going to vote with your motion to develop the in fact, it is for the purpose of trying to reduce taxes I'm all Mayor Ferre: Mr. Plummer, let me answer your question this way. I don't know what I am going to conclude when we get to the final line. After we have a pub- lic hearing and the public expresses itself on increased taxes, reduced Police and Fire services and a fee for backyard garbage pickup then I'm going to have to as Rose very well put it have to weigh the different alternatives to see which one of these things - you know there are no free lunches as you're always saying and something is going -to have to give. Now what is going to give? I don't know. I'm not commiting myself today to vote for the elimination of backyard garbage pickup. It may be that the people of Miami very strongly want to keep that and we'll find out at the public hearing. But I want to put it out so that... The papers are obviously going to carry it and let them come and express themselves and we'll decide that when we decide how we're going to ... Mrs. gordon: I believe, Mr. Mayor, it should be stressed to the press if they are going to put it out that there is the alternative if, in fact, this is adopt- ed that the curbside would not be charged for. That's your intent, isn't it? Mayor Ferre: That's correct, absolutely. Mrs. Gordon: And that ought to be equally publicized together with the other alternative. Mayor Ferre: I may end up voting against this in the final passage. That'•s some- thing we'll have to decide. The following motion was introduced by Mayor Ferre, who moved its adoption: MOTION NO. 77-732 A MOTION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO REVIEW PROPOSALS DISCUSSED THIS DATE IN REGARDS TO GARBAGE -TRASH COL- LECTION PICKUP ANALYZING THE POSSIBILITY OF: A. CURB -SIDE PICKUP; B. BACKYARD PICKUP FOR THE DISABLED, SENIOR CITIZENS, ETC. C. CONTINUANCE OF BACKYARD SERVICE FOR THOSE PERSONS WILLING TO PAY A SPECIAL SURCHARGE FOR SUCH SERVICE AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO RECOMMEND TO THE COMMISSION THE AMOUNT OF FEE NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH SAME. Upon being seconded by Commissioner Plummer, the motion was passed and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Commissioner Gordon, Mayor Ferre and Vice -Mayor Gibson. NOES: Commissioner Plummer and Commissioner Reboec ON ROLL CALL: Mr. Reboso: I vote no also because I think the main reason the people are against consolidation is because of the quality of services that the city renders and I don't have to wait until the public hearing to know that the public is in favor of the services of theSanitation Department so my vote is 'no'. Mrs. Gordon: I didn't hear you, what did you say, you don't have to wait? Mr. Reboso: I don't have to wait untio the public hearing because I have been talking to the public and the public wants to maintain the quality of services that we have in the city. SEP 151977 NtA. ltdoh: I want somebody to tell me how they're going to pay fot evetything if they don't have the money. Mt. Reboso: Well, as I say, Rose, that's the only reason people ate against coat solidation - quality of services from Police, Fire and Sanitation. 4, ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHARITY SOp-jj. CAME TO BE HELD OCTOBER 8, 1977 TO BE HELD AT THE MIAMI BASEBALL STADIUM. Mayor Ferre: I have an announcement that I'm going to make here. The Miami Police Department is going to have a Charity Solfball Game against the Transport Workers Union of American and that's to be on October 8th if you would put it on your calendars, at the Miami Baseball Stadium and I certainly would urge, all the proceeds to the fraternal Order of Police and to ... Proceeds of the Friendly Nine in a contest will be split three ways with one third going to the Drivers' Welfare Fund, one third going to the Police Support Olympic Fund and one third going to the United Way. I would urge all of the city employees and all of the members of the public to help these three charities. The entrance is $1.50 and I don't have the time, I'm sorry. October the 8th, I'm sorry to tell you that this release does not have the time. I'll try to get that and announce it in a little while. 5, CLOSURE OF CERTAIN STREETS IN COCONUT GROVE FOR BICYCLE RACE. Mr. Reboso: I have a request here to pass a resolution authorizing the Great Coconut Grove Bicycle Race to close necessary public streets with Mimi Police Department approval within downtown Coconut Grove on November 13, 1977. I so move it. Mr. Grassie: Mr. Mayor, have the departments seen that, Commissioner? Mr. Reboso: The department said that they need City Commission approval in order to do that. They checked with the Police Department. Mr. Grassie: And the Public Works Department has seen it, they know what is being asked for and the Police Department has checked it? Mr. Reboso: I think so. Mayor Ferre: This is the Great Coconut Grove Bicycle Race which I think we have every year. Mr. Grassie: Just so you're not embarrassed about it it would be better if we had our departments, you know us make sure that our departments have checked the thing. Maybe they've done it already. Mr. Reboso: They told me they had checked with the Police Department and the Police Department needed City Commission approval in order to ... Mr. Grassie: I know that we need it. Mr. Plummer: Excuse me, Mr. Grassie, may I suggest that you make the motion sub- ject to the approval of the Manager's Office. Mr. Reboso: Ok, I move it in that way. 'The, following motion was introduced by Commissioner Reboso who moved its adoption. -- MOTION NO. 77-733 A MOTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO REVIEW A PROPOSAL TO CLOSE CERTAIN STREETS. IN THE COCONUT GROVE AREA ON NOVEMBER 13, 1977 FOR "THE GREAT COCONUT GROVE BICYCLE RACE" AND AUTHORIZING SAID CITY MANAGER TO PROCEED TO CLOSE SUCH STREETS AT HIS DISCRETION. Upon being seconded by Commissioner Gordon, the motion was passed and adopted by the following vote - AYES; Commissioner Manolo Reboso Commissioner J. L. Plummer Commissioner Rose Gordon Vice -Mayor Theodore Gibson Mayor Maurice A. Ferre SEP 151977 NOES: None. THERE BEING No t uRTHER SUS t NESS 'TO 00g BWRE 1HE11C trY CoMMISStoN SHE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED At Maun.ice A. Fenne MAYOR ATTEST: Ralph G. Ongie CITY CLERK Matto HLna.L ASSISTANT CITY CLERK